After they had been assembled about an hour, Mr. Palmer sauntered towards the Miss Dashwoods to express his surprise on seeing them in town, though Colonel Brandon had been first informed of their arrival at his house, and he had himself said something very droll on hearing that they were to come.

Palmer is so droll!" said she, in a whisper, to Elinor.

Sometimes he won’t speak to me for half a day together, and then he comes out with something so droll—all about any thing in the world."

"It would be something remarkable, now," he continued, "something droll, if Fanny should have a brother and I a sister settling at the same time.